Draft rigging



Nov. 17, 1925- E. A. LAUGHLIN DRAFT RIGGING I Filed May 16, 1924 I elf/bung Patented Nov. 17, 1925;

UNITED 7 STATES mm A LAUGHIJN, 032903, ILLINOIS.

DRAFT BIGGING.

Application flled May is, 1924. semi in. 713,787.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELMYR A. Lsucntm,

' a citizen 'of the United States, residing at Oregon, 'in the county of Ogle, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft Riggin s; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descri tion of the invention, such as will enable 0t ersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new im rovements in draft gear, and particu-- lari to draft gear for use in connection wit railway cars. a

One object of the invention is to provide a draft gear which is double acting and frictional, and wherein the initial stress is easy, and which will gradually increase until the maximum is reached, thereby obviatin the usual shocks incident to coupling an uncoupling. v I v Anot or object is to provide a draft gear of this character wherein the opposite ends of the mechanism work a ainst a central element, and not against see other.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing. I y

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a draft 3 gear, the upper wider face being toward the 'the sills, and draw construction, illustration is thou ht unnec-f observer.-

Figure 2 is a loitudinal sectional view on the line 22 of igure 1. Referring particularly to the accompanyring drawin 10 and 11 represent a pair of "housings w ich have their mutually adjacent ends open, said housings being adapted to be supported by the usual sills of a car,

and between the stopls thereof, said housings being embraced by t e usual draw yoke. s oke are of ordinary essa The inner faces of the sides of the close and of each ,of the housings 10 and 11 are formed with the beveled faces 16,- to

' which reference will be made later herein.

Disposed within one end of the 'housin tively, which bear againstthe inner faeeof the end wall of the housing; The other ends of the blocks 18 and whavstbc fmfwardly.

and useful g housing will frictionally bear .10 are the blocks 18 and 19, having the convergin faces 24 and 24" the latter being slightly s orter than the former, whereby the. angle therebetween lies at one side of the ion itudinal center of the block. Similarly shaped blocks '25 and 26 within the housing 10 have the longer oblique faces 27 30. Disposed longitudinally and centrally in the housing 10, is an elongated member 31, the opposite ends of which have thecom verging oblique faces 32 and 33, respectively, the former bearing-against the longer oblique faces 24, of the blocks 18 and 19, the angle between the faces 32 be' somewhat moreacute than theangle tween the faces 33.

Disposed within the other end of the housing 11 are the blocks 34 and 35, which meet the same shape as the blocks 18 and 19, except that the outer transverse] end faces 36, are ObllQAlG, and bear; againsn the wear plates 37 w ich are disposed a inst the correspondin 1y inclined faces 37 g the end wall of this E and 39 are an aged with the sides of the housing 11 an faces 33, of the central member 31, a, well as the shorter oblique faces-of the bl 34 and-35. Spring end retaining mombers 40 similar to the members 30, arQdid ousing. Similar blocks 38 with the adjacent. oblique I against the transverse faces ofthe bloc A: 38

and 39. Disposed between the members 30 and 40 are the coil springs 41. I

Normally the parts are in e,

exert a pulling or draft stress, the housi 4 will be drawn so that its beveled facesgli 'will bear against the shorter oblique of the blocks 38 and 89, while at theffiatiie time the longer oblique faces of said-block! are engaged by the shorter obliquesfaoesr'fif the blocks 34 vand 35. The faces'37-ofthe faces 36 of the blocks 34 and 35, he blflflts 34 and 35 move against the iildja cent' and faces 33, of the member 31, so thatTthei-r longer obl ilcgile facesslide on the-"obliqueHll 40 blocks,

well an longitudinally thereof, and by reason. of their engagement with the blocks 38 and 39, these latter blocks will be forced out .werdly in the direction of the sides of the housin as well as in a direction longitudi nally hereof, said blocks 38 and 39 pushing the reteinin members 40. against the adjecent ends' 0 the springs 41.

resist the movement of the members 4&0 with the result. that the member 31 will be forced longitudinally of the housin r 84 and 35. It will be noted t at this central member 31 has its ends projectinginto the 0 en ends of the housings l0 and 11.. It will a so be noted that the member 31 has the ins 31 extending from its opposite wider aces, adjacent the ends. thereof, and that these pins extend through slots 10 and 11., respectively, of the housings ese pine ere for the purpose (l'f..lll1llltaining the" housings in pro er relation to each other, as e guidetor the plunger 3. end to prevent ee oration of the parts, while I the gear is-in s ipping transit, or while 26 piecing" the gear in e oer. After the gear is properly disposed inthecer, the pine may beremovetl, or permitted to break or snap slots 10? an 30 the gear."

- As the member 31 moves longitudinally, the oblique feces 32, at the other end thereof, causethe blocks 18-and 19 to be moved transversely of the housin r 10, and these 3! blocksyin turn, cause the b oelrs and Q6 toexert pressure. egoinst (he members 30, which results in a compressing force against the adjacent ends of the springs 41; The combined'frictional engagement between the the blocks and the member. 31, and between'certein of the blocks and the housings, together with the tendency of the springs to resist compression, serve to cause a graduolly'incr'easing tension. in the draft gear, with the the projections and of the spring retainers 30 and 40, have moved intoabuttin enga ement, all danger of shock' or jar wil have won prevented, endthe car. moved forwardly with an easy action.

When the draft yoke 'is' moved in the other directi'onso as toexert a pushing or buffing action against the housing 10 the blocks 18,19,545, and 26 push the member 30 toproduce a compression of the sprin s 41. The member 31 will 'also' be moved ongitudinelly, and through the cooperative cngngement'of thismomber and the blocks 34, 35, 38, and 39-, the members 40 will be moved 0 exert acomprcssing actioni geinst the a jacent ends of the springs. Thus when eitherol the housings is moved, by the action of: the-draft yoke"tlicrcagtiinst,the cooperation of the --various beveled blocks results in n. compressing action against the 11 (luring theoperetion of These springs by the blocks l0- and 11.

ofl', by time ement of the end walls of theresult that by the time that,

.springs between the 4 ing wedge-shaped cndsol' the plunger and the grees of acutencss onroe springs from both ends. The initial movement of either of the l ousings produces it com mretively rapid and easy movement of the blocks at the end at which the force is applied, but as the force increases the friction between the oblique faces of the-various parts increases, due to the resisting action of the springs, the notion -on the ar will be cosy and without jar or shock. This is especiallydesirable when (xnipling or un coupling.

While 1 have shown a single spring on each side of the member-ill, it should be understood that two large springs may be used on each side thereof, or a single large spring, may encircle the member 211, and c gage with'tl'ie retaining members 350 and 40.

What is claimed is:

l. A draft rigging including between and into the l1ous mum, at central longitudinally movable member, end wedge members oi (lill'ercnt degrees o'l? acutcncss cooperating with each other and cooperating with the central member for moving said member and comprcse ing the 3 rings.

2. A raft riggin v includinghousings, ,a longitudinally slide lo and posed member having its opposite ends within the housings said ends being pro- 'videcl with faces converging at different dc green of acuteness, springs extendin bctween and within the means for the ends of the springs, and Wedge members within thehousin s androoperating with each other and wit l the ends of the central member for urging the re tainin r means into compressing engagement with t ie op osite ends of the springs.

3. A (ire t rigging including housings, a central longitudinally movable member extending between and into the housings, said. member heving faces converging at its opposite ends at different angles of ecutenese, the housings having oblique faces, blocks disposed within the housings and bearing thercegeinst and hovin' r converging feces., musings, retaining ends of the springs,

members at the "pposite engaging the optic 1 said blocks frictionelly siteends of the central member, andblocke slidnbly engaging the oblique faces of the housings, certain of the converging faces of I the first blocks, and bearing against the spring retaining mcn'ibers. l v i 4;. A draft gear including a. plunger ha ili'lferontklegrces of acuteness, followers at the endsot" the. plunger, friction blocks"between the ends of. 'loll'owci s, aiu block? haying 'wedge-sliapml ends .of rli ll'crcnt tic ivor'rkl iom'lihgM and -o-- olperating with I the vol-mentioning ends of tie ilun'gerand incansflfor urging the lriizcentrally. dis- 5 housings, retaining tion locksintoengagcmcnt withiheplmiger.

5. A draft gear including a central plunger having its ends wed ge-shaped and of different degrees of acuteness, followers at the ends of the plunger, friction wedge blocks in .the followers engaging with the ends of the plunger, springs on each side of the plunger, spring retaining means at the ends of the springs, and friction wedge blocks slidably bearing against the first wedge blocks and with the spring retaining means,

the ends of the plunger and the blocks enaging therewith having their wedge ends formed at different degrees of acute'ness.

6. A draft gear including a central plunger having wedge-shaped ends, followers at the ends of the plunger, friction "wedge blocks in the followers and engaging therewith, the

wedge-shaped ends of the plunger being formed at different degrees of acuteness, said angles of said friction wedge blocks, and

springs between certain of the friction Wedge blocks at one end of the plunger and certainof the friction Wedge blocks at the other end of the plunger.

7 A draft gear including a central plunger, followers at opposite ends of the plunger, friction blocks between the plunger and the followers and operatively engaged therewith, the ends of the plunger having outwardly converging faces, the saidfaces at one end of the plunger converging at an angle more acute than at the other end of the plunger, and resilient means coacting With the friction blocks, and being subject to compression thereby.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ELMYR A. LAUGHLIN. 

